Net.



J. F. MASEK.

NET.

APPLICATION FILED PEB. 24, 1913.

, 76. Patnted sept.3o,1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

.gil-.5.

Co I

LUMBIA PLANDGRAPH CO.,WASH1NGTON u c J. F. MASEK.

NET.

1 APPLICATION FILED FBB.24.191 3. v 1,074,276. Patented sep1;.30,1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. as

g /20 /7 2f ///f ,Q2 60 a6 /4 5f '37 sa 37;; f2/Q 0- COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0., WASHINGTON, D. C.

JOHN F. MASEK, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

NET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 30, 1913.-

Applicaton filed February 24, 1913. Serial No. 750,266.

To all whom t may concern: y

Be it known that I, JOHN F. MAsEm'a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Nets, of which the follow-I ing is a full, clear, and eXact description. Y This invention relates more particularly to a net or device adapted .to be used for catching crabs, lobsters, oriother marine objects.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a Vsimple and efiicient device having a plurality of memberswhich may be made to assume an open position so that little or no obstruction is placed in the way of crabs, lobsters and the like to be caught by the device,and which members,

during the raising of the device, will be po-A sitioned to form a receptacle to hold objects' within the device, thereby overcomingmany of the objections incident to devices of this kind as ordinarily constructed.

Another object of the invention is to provide simple and eliicient means whereby the line or element employed for raising and lowering the device may be soconnected to the end and side members of the device as will cause the same to form a receptacle when raising and lowering or will permit the said end and side members to 'assume an open position as soon as any slack occurs in thev raising and lowering means.

Other objects of the invention are to provide simple and eliicient means whereby a reach rod may be held to guide the raising and lowering means; to provide additional frame members independent of the end members of the deviceto which the said end members may be made to move toward and from the same or to be held thereto; and to provide simple and efficient means whereby the end and side members may be yieldingly held to the bottom member to permit said end and side members toautomatically open.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and ethcient device which may be folded or knocked down so that the same may be made'compact to permit it to be readily transported, or for any other purpose. Y i

With these and other objects in View, the invention will be hereinafter more particularly described with reference to the accom- .panying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and will then be pointed out in the claims at the end ofthe description;

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a detail perspective view of the device when in an open position, showing how the side and end 4members may be made to open automatically. F ig. 2 is a perspective view showing how therends may be held against opening when it is desired that the device be used in this manner. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view ofthe device in a closed position. Fig.

14: is an enlarged detail plan of the device in the position shown in Fig. 1, part of the raising and lowering, means being brokenaway to better illustrate the invention. Fig.

`5 is an enlarged section showing in plan one part of the device where the end member is hinged to the frame member and the latter member to the bottom member, and also showing how the side members are hinged to the bottom member. Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing how either one of the end members of the device may be held to one of the frame members in order that the same may remain in the position shown in Fig. 2 and against any open movement. Fig. 7 is a det-ail perspective view of the reach and guide rod for the raising and lowering means and a part of one of the skeleton frame members showing the same detached for illustrative purposes; and Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line VIII-VIII of Fig. 4 showing how the side members are yieldingly held to the bottom member.

In the form of device shown there is a bottom member 10, two side members 11 and 12, two end members 13 and 14, and two skeleton frame members 15 and 16. The bottom or member 10 is substantially reotangular in form and comprises a wire frame 17 which is covered by a wire netting or open work 18 and on which the bait for the crabs, lobsters and the like is placed when the device is used. This bottom may be longer in one direction than at the other and to the longer sides or edges the side members 11 and 12 are attached. Each side member comprises a rectangular wire frame 19 which is covered by a wire or other open work'20 to close the space within the frame 19, and the inner side or edge of the frame 19 of each side member have hinges 21 pivotally connecting the side members to the bottom member and by which the said side members may be moved to a closed or an open position. These hinges may be made by bending a piece of metal substantially S- shaped in form so that the bottom and side members when in an open position may be made to lie in substantially the same plane, as shown in the drawings, and which permits the side members to be folded over the bottom member and over each other when the device is to be knocked down for transportation or other purposes. Each side edge of the bottom frame 17 is bent inward, as at 22, to provide a substantially U-shaped part, and the inner side edge of the frame 19 of each side member 12 is also bent inward to form a curved substantially U-shaped guide or part 23. A spring 24 has a part coiled about each of the side edges of the bottom frame 17 and has one end 25 adapted to move freely along the guide 23 of the side member and the other end 26 of said spring is held to the part 22 of the bottom member. By this means the side members are properly hinged to the bottom member along the longest edges thereof and by means of the springs 24, the said side members are yieldingly and normally forced in an outward or open position but in such a way that the said side members may be readily moved against the tension of the springs to a closed position or that shown in Fig. 3.

Each of the skeleton frame members 15 and 16 is substantially V-shaped and is open and without any wire mesh or closure of any kind as is the case with the frames form ing a part of the other members. These members are each formed by bending a wire to the desired form, and each member at its lower ends is bent inward, as at 27, so as to adapt the same to be hinged, as at'28, to the end edges of the bottom frame 17. There are two hinges for each frame member 15 and 16 and these hinges are substantially the same as the hinges 21, being formed by bending a metal strip substantially S- shaped. The upper ends or apexes of the frame members 15 and 16 are each bent inward so as to forma pendent projecting portion, as 29, Fig. 7, which is adapted to be engaged by a sleeve 30 carried by the outer end of a reach rod 31, the said rod, members 15 and 16 and bottom 10 forming a frame for the device. The ends of the rod or member 31 are secured to the sleeves 30 and the latter are opened at both ends and have a part adapted to be held rigidly to the ends of said rod. This rod with its sleeves 3VO is adapted to be passed over the projecting portions 29 of the skeleton frame members 15v and'A 16 from underA the same-so that the said red may be detachably held to the parts 30 but at the same'time will be held against l accidental removal while the device is used.

The rod thus holds the two members 15 and 16 Anormally in a vertical position and by being detachable may beqremoved from. the.`

members, and by reason of the hinges 2S, the said members 15 andV 16 may be folded over lvpon the bottom .or member 10. By reason of thenatuie of the frame members 15 and" 16, there will be very little or no obstruction to prevent a crab or lobster from having free access to the bait held upon the bottom 10 of the device.

There are two end members 13 and 14 andY these end members are substantially triangular in form and correspond to the general shape of the skeleton frame members 15l and 16. These members 13 and 14 each; comprise a wire frame 32 which like the side' and bottom members are covered by wire or 'other mesh 33. The frame 32 of Yeach mem. ber 13 and 14 is hinged, as at 34, vFigs. 4 and 5, to each of the inwardly-turned ends 27 of the frame members 15 and 16, the hinges 30 being substantially S-shaped in form as `already described. One ofthe inwardlyvturned ends 27 of each ofthe frame members 15 and 16 is somewhat longer than the other and arranged aroundsaid extended or longer part is a spring35. The spring 35 has one end held to a part of each of the skeleton members 15 and 16, and the other end extends inward so as to rest upon a substantially U-shaped inwardly extending part -or guide 36 of the frame 32 of each of saidsliding connection with its coperating llshaped part of the frame. The end members being hinged to the skeleton frame members as shown, permit the skeleton frame members to be folded over upon the V ,tend normally to force the end members 13V L bottom 10 and then the end members over i upon lthe skeleton frame members when Ythe device is knocked down for transportation;

To permit the device to be raised and lowered and at the same time tofpermit the side and end members to assume an open position or to be closed during the raising of the device, various means may be eintral eye or loop portion 37 vand two loopsor eyes 38, one near the skeleton frame mem-v ber 15 and the other near the skeletonV frameA ployed. As shown, the rod 31 has a cen@ member 16. A twine or other flexible connection is usually employed for raising and lowering the device. The twine may have one end, as39, passing through the eye 37 and secured to the outer side edge of the frame 19 of the side member 11. A `second end 40 of the twine is passed through the eye from the opposite sideand is fastened to the outer side edge of the frame 19 of the side member 12. Two parts 41 and 42V of the twine are secured to the ends 39 and 4() and to each other and extend in opposite directions so that each will pass through one of the eyes 38 and one end fastened to the apex of the end member 13 andthe other end of the twine secured to the apex of the end member 14. VThe twine or flexible connection may be of any desired length and the tension of the springs which normally force the side and end members to an open position, exert a less tension than is opposed against the tension of the springs bythe weight of the entire device.

. 1t will thus be evident that if the twine or cord is pulled so as to place the entire weight of the device on said cord, this will overcome the tension of the springs 24 and 35 and will move the side and end members to the position shown in F ig. 3, thus forming a receptacle substantially triangular in cross section, and when the device is lowered into the water so that the bottom 10 will rest upon the bed of the river or4 other place where the device is used and slack being permitted to take place in the twine or flexible connection, the springs 24 and 35 will then be permitted to force the end and side members to an open position as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, it being understood that in the use of the device a piece of meat, fish or other bait is placed on the bottom 10 preparatory to the device beinglowered into the water.

In some instances, it may not be desirable to have the endsto open and to secure this the end members are each rovided with a hook or clasp 43 on one site of the frame. This clasp or latch may be simply in the form of a fiat hook as shown in Fig. 6, in which one part is bent to form an eye 44 to fit about the frame 32 of each of the members 13 and 14 and has a hook-shaped part 45 adapted to be passed about the inclined side of either of the skeleton frame members 15 and 16 so as to normally hold the same in a vertical position when in use as shown in Fig. 2. Y Y

From the foregoing, it will be seen that a simple and efficient device is provided whereby the sides and end members may be made to automatically open; that said device provides substantially free access for crabs, lobsters or other objects to be caught; that said device is capable of being knocked down and folded into compact form for shipment or other purposes; that simple means is provided whereby the springs may be held to force the end and side members to an open position; that simple guiding and supporting means for raising and lowering the device is provided; and that said device may be readily made and assembled.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Let-V ters Patent 1. A device of the character described, comprising a plurality of rectangular members hinged together, a plurality of triangular members, a plurality of substantially V-shaped skeleton frame members connected to one of the rectangular members and to the triangular members, a rod having loops and adapted to connect the skeleton frame members, and flexible means adapted to pass through said loops and connected to certain of the rectangular members and to the triangular members and adapted to move the same toward the rod to form a substantially closed receptacle.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a bottom member and side members hinged together, a plurality of triangular end members, a plurality of skeleton `frame members connected to the bottom member and to the triangular members, a rod having loops and adapted to connect the skeleton frame members together, and means adapted to pass through said loops and connected to certain of the side and end members and adapted to move the same on their hinges.

3. A device of the character described, comprising a plurality of members hinged together, each of said members being provided with a frame and said frame being bent inward, the inwardly extending portion of certain of the frames forming a holding means and the other a guide, said guide portion being bowed out of the plane of its frame, and a spring for each side member held to the frame of one of the members and one end slidingly engaging the guide and the other end held to the engaging part.

4. A device of the character described, comprising a bottom member, side members hinged thereto, Vshaped skeleton frames having inwardly turned end portions hinged to the bottom member, means for holding said skeleton frames in raised position, and triangular end members hinged to said inwardly turned end portions of the skeleton frames.

5. A device of the character described comprising a bottom member, side members hinged thereto, Vshaped skeleton frames, having inwardly turned end portions hinged to the bottom member, means for holding said skeleton frames in raised position, tri- This specification signed and Vwitnessed Y angular end members hinged to said nthis 20th day of February A; D. 1918. Wardly turned end portions of the skeleton frames, and springs for normally holding JOHN F. MASEK. K the side and end members in the plane of the Y V Y bottom member, the springs for the end Vitnesses:

members being Wound upon the turned end C. BARTELs,

portions of the skeleton frames. LESTER C. TAYLOR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve eents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. A Y 

